diff --git a/backend/app/models/ai_session.py b/backend/app/models/ai_session.py
index 85d5ef4e..3cc3f11d 100644
--- a/backend/app/models/ai_session.py
+++ b/backend/app/models/ai_session.py
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@ class AISession(Base):
     branches: Mapped[list["SessionBranch"]] = relationship(
         "SessionBranch",
         foreign_keys="SessionBranch.session_id",
+        back_populates="session",
         cascade="all, delete-orphan",
         order_by="SessionBranch.branch_order",
     )
diff --git a/backend/app/models/session_branch.py b/backend/app/models/session_branch.py
index a6e648f1..6bdb8655 100644
--- a/backend/app/models/session_branch.py
+++ b/backend/app/models/session_branch.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class SessionBranch(Base):
     updated_at: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(DateTime(timezone=True), default=lambda: datetime.now(timezone.utc), onupdate=lambda: datetime.now(timezone.utc))
 
     # Relationships
-    session: Mapped["AISession"] = relationship("AISession", foreign_keys=[session_id])
+    session: Mapped["AISession"] = relationship("AISession", foreign_keys=[session_id], back_populates="branches")
     parent_branch: Mapped[Optional["SessionBranch"]] = relationship("SessionBranch", remote_side="SessionBranch.id", foreign_keys=[parent_branch_id])
     fork_point_step: Mapped[Optional["AISessionStep"]] = relationship("AISessionStep", foreign_keys=[fork_point_step_id])
     status_changed_by_user: Mapped[Optional["User"]] = relationship("User", foreign_keys=[status_changed_by])
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/command-palette.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/command-palette.spec.ts
index 7461cc98..f059b984 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/command-palette.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/command-palette.spec.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ test.describe('command palette smoke tests', () => {
 
   test('searches and shows AI Assistant option', async ({ page }) => {
     const api = await createAuthenticatedApiContext()
-    const tree = await createTroubleshootingTree(api, {
+    await createTroubleshootingTree(api, {
       name: uniqueName('PW Palette Search Flow'),
     })
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/assistant/TaskLane.tsx b/frontend/src/components/assistant/TaskLane.tsx
index 22423b75..956291ef 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/assistant/TaskLane.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/assistant/TaskLane.tsx
@@ -101,7 +101,8 @@ export function TaskLane({ questions, actions, onSubmit, onClose, loading }: Tas
     }
   }, [handleMouseMove, handleMouseUp])
 
-  // Reset when new tasks come in
+  // Reset when new tasks come in from AI response
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/set-state-in-effect -- intentional: syncs derived state from prop changes
   useEffect(() => {
     setTasks([
       ...questions.map((q): QuestionResponse => ({